Driving Age For FRC
 

Hi at my FRC teams prior to our first competition we were informed that we our driver had to bee at lest 16 years old, however when we looked in the rule book we were told that you have to be pre college. Any information on this will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

I believe student should be in High School (Jr High etc). Last year we had middle school student and they were told that they cannot be part of drive team.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Whoever gave you the 16 year old requirement was wrong (at least in terms of the FRC Manual). The definition of DRIVER states that the student must only be pre-college.

EDIT:

The only time "high school" is used as a requirement for a student in the FRC Manual is:

Who can go in early at Champs (one must be post high school)
Who can submit a Woodie Flowers essay
Who can be awarded the Allaire Medal
A description of the program: I don't the the above quote applies any rules, but I could be wrong...

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Were you told this by a FIRST representative?

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Whenever you are told anything like this please ask the person telling you this to cite the rule in the manual. The discussion should be over at that point but if it is not go to the question box and discuss it with the head referee.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

I know of several teams who have pre-high school aged kids on drive team. The only official rule states that drivers and human players must be pre-college.

From the 2014 FRC Manual Glossery

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Heck, I know of entire teams that are made up entirely of middle school students. Would that same logic dictate that none of them can be a driver? I agree with kmitchell, if someone gives you that load of garbage again have them talk to the Head Referee or the FTA.

The only time a pre-college student should be asked to not be a driver is when they literally cannot see over the driver station to drive. In that case, go be the Human Player.

-Danny

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

I don't think 193's ever had a driver over the age of 15. Young drivers are neither against the rules or necessarily a bad thing.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Not necessarily. I remember a few years ago seeing a small driver standing on a box while operating.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Are there other rules that state a maximum age, as "pre-college TEAM member" could include anyone not going to college?

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Common sence should come into play here... if you have finished highschool/senior year, and havent gone to college, YOU are still a college student. So no.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

it's pre-college student TEAM member, at least in the DRIVER definition. I would also assume "pre-college" means "hasn't had the chance to go to college yet", not "is not going to college [yet]".

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Yes, we determined that it did not give them an unfair advantage and the safety advisor also verified that it was not unsafe.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Told by whom?

Whoever it was gave you incorrect information.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Like what was said before. The only solid limit to the age is you must be pre-college. Last year I was a freshman driving and I was only 14.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

I was under the impression that Jr. HS members could drive as long as there were no HS members who were able to drive at the time.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

There is no restriction on who can drive as long as they are pre-college. A baby could drive a robot at competition, and there would be no rules prohibiting it.

(I do not condone letting a baby drive a robot, and take no responsibility if somebody gets hurt by letting one.)

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Strictly speaking, could you get a baby to have a properly filled out STIMS?

Anyways, middle school students have been drivers, and being able to see (and have STIMS, and the driver button) should be the only reasonable constraint.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

I "drove" for a few practice matches in Dallas in 2011 at age 12. There were no issues. In fact, the queueing volunteers thought it was awesome that my team was including such young people.

As always, check the manual. If it's not expressly prohibited, it's OK.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

As stated a plethora of times above, there is no 16-year-old requirement for drivers.

However, not knowing who you heard this from, my first thought is that maybe this is a restriction placed by your own team? While I would certainly not agree with having a team-enforced age restriction for drive team, I see no reason (by the rules) for a team to do that. Or was your team (as a whole) informed this by someone outside the team?

-Calvin

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

The only reason I do not think that the game manual spells out how old you have to be is that FRC is meant for High school students I don't think the FIRST is really expecting many people younger than that to be participating in FRC. It seems that the rule is interpreted by people at different events different ways but for the most part anyone(within reason and the rules) should be able to drive.

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

Just for fun....
What if your drivers are highschool students taking college classes at a local community college? They get the same rights as a college student educationally. So are they still "pre-college"

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

As others have said, as long as the individual is not a college student, nor college student age, there is no problem having them on the drive team.

For the record, I think 330's driver of a few years may be 15 by now (though I could be mistaken).

Re: Driving Age For FRC
 

330's driver is 14 and started driving at 11.